Daddy's Little Girl
by Suze
Summary: On the big day, Race and Jessie have a father/daughter heart-to-heart talk...


I suppose I should start by telling you how this story came into being. I'm not a particularly good writer and I find it extremely difficult, so I don't write on a whim. However, I had decided after reading the many wonderful fanfics in my archive, that I wanted to give it a try. 

So, now the problem was, what do I write about? 

A couple of things ended up influencing me. First of all, I'm totally HR, so it had to include at least a little of that. Second, I went up to Maine this past weekend for a wedding, so that sort of got me into a wedding-fanfic mood. Third, they played "Daddy's Little Girl" at the reception, which I had never heard before (no one in my family had it played at their wedding and neither did I) - so that was running around in my head. And then finally, on my way back from Maine, I heard "Butterfly Kisses" on the radio, which is being touted as the new "Daddy's Little Girl" for weddings. When I heard it, I started to think, "Hey...I can picture Race and Jessie as the father and daughter in this song...". 

And then it all started coming together... 

So here we are. I wrote most of the story in my head as I was driving back from Maine and spent a couple of days typing and tweaking it. 

Anyway, without further ado, I present:   
  
  
  


# Daddy's Little Girl

## by Suze

  
  
  
Catagories: V, HR, F   
Summary: On the big day, Race and Jessie have a father/daughter heart-to-heart talk...  
  
Dedicated to Wendy Carley, who read my only other fanfic (an X-Files piece) and encouraged me to write something for JQ. Wendy, this one's for you.   
  
  
  
  
Race psyched himself up before going into the room. This was such an important day for Jessie - he didn't want to screw it up. He tentatively opened the door and peeked in. 

Jessie stood by the window, seemingly lost in thought. 

_She looks so beautiful!_ Race thought to himself. He was content to watch her in silence for awhile. He was mesmerized by the way the sunlight turned her hair to copper fire and sparkled off her engagement ring. Her ring...she hardly seemed old enough to be wearing that... 

Jessie broke out of her reverie and finally noticed her father. 

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked. 

Race smiled, "Not long, hun. You just looked so peaceful... I didn't want to disturb you..." 

Jess grinned, "Don't worry about it...I could use the company. Mom ran off a little while ago to check on something, and I've been stuck here by myself ever since!" 

"Well...I had nothing better to do...and I got tired of waiting....and..." 

Jess smiled again, "It's okay, Dad. Come sit with me for awhile?" 

"Sure, sweetheart." 

Jess carefully lowered herself into a chair and smoothed the front of her gown. Race dropped into the chair across from hers. 

"How are you doing, Ponchita?" Race asked. 

"Pretty well..." she laughed, "It's weird. I'm sort of giddy, bored, nervous, and excited all at the same time!" 

Race laughed. "I'm not surprised. This is a big day for you and Jonny..." 

Jess looked concerned for a moment. 

"What is it, Jess?" 

"Well...did you ever...I mean...were you sure that you and mom were doing the right thing?" 

Race answered her as honestly as possible. "Despite what happened between your mom and me in the end, I wouldn't have changed a thing. I got _you_ out of the deal, after all..." 

Tears welled up in Jessie's eyes, "Oh, Dad...." 

"Oh, don't go cryin' on me now....you know I can't take that!" 

Race handed her a tissue, then moved his chair next to hers and patted her back until her tears subsided. Jess looked a little sheepish. 

"I'm sorry about that, Dad. I seem to be doing that a lot lately!" 

"It's okay, sweetie...this is an emotional time for you. I understand." 

Jess smiled and they sat in comfortable silence for awhile. Race noticed as she checked her watch a couple of times. 

"It won't be much longer now, huh?" 

Jess looked a little nervous. 

"I know...I can't believe this is actually happening..." 

"Me, either, Ponchita. It seems like only yesterday you were five years old and I couldn't keep you out of the mud. Now look at you - you're a grown woman, about to embark upon the biggest journey of your life..." 

Race looked a little wistful and he held on tightly as Jess took his hand. 

She looked up at him with huge emerald eyes, and whispered, "I'm scared, Daddy..." 

She hadn't called him "Daddy" in over 10 years. He knew she _must_ be nervous. 

"It's alright, sweetheart...it's perfectly natural to be nervous. I know _I_ was..." 

"You?" she asked incredulously. 

"Yeah, me. In fact, I was scared to death! It was your mom who was the calm one. That always amazed me about her - she was so cool and collected through the whole thing. Hell, she's the one who kept _me_ together!" 

Jessie laughed and Race was pleased to see that she had relaxed a little bit. 

"How's Jonny holding up?" she asked. 

"Oh, about the same as I was..." 

"Oooh. That bad, huh?" 

Race shook his head gravely. 

"Worse." 

"Great. I hope he doesn't do anything stupid, like, run off or something..." 

"Don't worry, Hadji and Benton are standing guard. I think even your mother and Anna are keeping an eye out for him. He's not going anywhere, Ponchita. Not today..." 

"But he just has this...this..._knack_ for getting into trouble during important moments. Remember Benton and Anna's wedding?" 

"Oh, Lord, don't remind me! I thought we were never going to get the Doc married that day! But just remember, sweetheart, everything turned out fine that day, and everything will be fine today. Unconventional, maybe, but that's par for the course with this family..." 

Jessie smiled at him. 

"Thanks, Dad. I'm glad we got to have this time together." 

"Me, too. So...we should probably find Jonny and get this show on the road, huh?" 

A strange look passed over Jessie's face. 

"Uh....can you hurry, Dad?" 

Jess struggled not to laugh as that stricken look that only men can achieve came across her father's face. 

She started to giggle as he bolted for the door. 

And she finally gave a hearty laugh as she heard him yell down the corridor. 

"JONATHAN BENTON QUEST!!!! Get in here! You're wife's about to have that kid of yours!" 

Jessica Quest sighed and rubbed her swollen belly. 

"Oh, sweetheart, there goes the best grandaddy you could have possibly wished for. You are the luckiest little girl in the entire world..... 

...and so am I...." 

  
FINIS 6/10/97   
  
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So. Did I manage to surprise you at all? 

Anyone? 

< crickets chirping > 

  
Oh well...it was fun anyway! 

  
Feedback is *highly* encouraged! If you feel the urge to comment, praise, or hurl epithets, please drop me a line... 

Thanks for reading! 

-- Suze 

  
[© Susan Howe 1997][1]

   [1]: mailto:suze1@mediaone.net



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